Rice woos China over US naval buildup


BEIJING—China is getting edgy over a new US military strategy aimed at projecting force around the globe and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice’s visit last week was an attempt to calm Beijing down, analysts said.

Rice’s trip on Thursday and Friday came as the US military was rolling out an unprecedented deployment of naval power in the Pacific Ocean in what is officially being termed a military exercise, they said.

“It is an unprecedented show of force and a return to gunboat diplomacy,” Andrew Tam, a security expert at the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies in Singapore, told Agence France-Presse.

“The United States is sending the message that any threat to peace and stability in Northeast Asia will not be tolerated.

“It is a signal to North Korea, but particularly to the Chinese. The carrier groups are sent as an affirmation of US support of the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and the current status of Taiwan.”

The US navy announced in June that three aircraft-carrier battle groups were already in the Pacific and four others were being deployed for the war games called “Summer Pulse 2004.”

According to the US naval websites, the deployment is a part of the Fleet Response Plan, which is aimed at increasing force preparedness and establishing the ability to immediately provide significant combat power in a crisis anywhere in the world.

It comes with Beijing rattling sabers over Taiwan since pro-independence President Chen Shui-bian was inaugurated for his second term on May 20, and with China due to start this month massive amphibious military exercises on mainland-ruled islands in the Taiwan Straits.

In her visit, Rice reiterated Washington’s respect for Beijing’s “one-China policy” and its opposition to Taiwan independence, while urging China to push forward efforts at resolving the simmering issue over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

In 1996, the United States sent two aircraft carrier groups to the Taiwan Strait after China tested ballistic missiles by lobbing them off shore from Taiwan’s major ports.

Link

Well they should be, 7 carrier strike groups exercising at the same time and in area is a pretty awesome show of force. :blink:

China will use military drills this month to demonstrate its ability to dominate air space over Taiwan, an essential element in any invasion of the island, according to state media and analysts.

Joint sea, land and air drills will take place this month at Dongshan Island, just 150 nautical miles away from Taiwan’s Penghu Islands, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed.

“This year, aside from missile brigades, tank brigades, marine brigades, warships and submarines, all advanced weapons will be used in the exercise,” an article in the Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily said.

In previous exercises, the emphasis has been on crossing the Taiwan Strait by ship for amphibious landings backed by missile attacks.

“But in fact, the PLA [People’s Liberation Army] realized in 1999 that the launching of an amphibious landing offensive on Taiwan would be hindered if mastery of the air and the sea were not gained,” said the newspaper.

“That is why the PLA had decided to change its emphasis on this drill.”

It said that instead “the PLA will likely put emphasis on the seizure of air dominance over Taiwan in the 2004 military Dongshan Island exercise.”

Military experts cited in the paper said this implied an “active” and “offensive” military drill.

Independent analysts said the focus on air dominance was a message that China was now in a position to attack Taiwan, should it want to.

“The emphasis on air supremacy is central to any PLA offensive operations in the Taiwan Strait, but the Taiwan Air Force has traditionally held the upper hand in this area,” said one analyst.

“But as the PLA Air Force has made rapid improvements in this area with significant acquisitions of Russian fighters and attendant weapons packages . . . the air balance is now beginning to gradually swing in China’s favor.”

“This article clearly suggests that the Chinese will use the Dongshan exercise as a forum to show that it can now succeed in gaining air dominance against the Taiwanese, which is a major step in making its threats of the use of military force, including an invasion, more credible.”

Last month, Taiwan said that its air force would practice emergency landings on a freeway for the first time in 25 years amid renewed tension with China.

The scenario of the drill is that Taiwan’s airports may be destroyed should war break out with China, and that freeways may be used for emergency landings, Defense Minister Lee Jye said.

The People’s Daily report did not reveal how many soldiers would take part in the exercises, but a pro-Beijing Hong Kong newspaper said 18,000 troops would be involved.

More than 100,000 troops were involved in a similar drill in 2001.

Tension between Beijing and Taipei has been heightened since Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian was reelected this year, with China fearful his pro-independence moves are aimed at gaining formal independence.

Beijing has vowed to go to war with Taiwan in the event of it moving toward independence.

China considers Taiwan part of its territory awaiting reunification. The island has been separated since the end of a civil war in 1949.
-- Agence France-Presse

LINK

:tomcat:

Channelnewsasia

WASHINGTON : The United States said it would continue selling weapons to Taiwan, shrugging off a warning from Beijing that any improvement in US-China relations hinged on America cutting military links with the island state.

Chinese embassy spokesman Sun Weide said on Tuesday that Beijing was "gravely concerned" over recent US moves on the Taiwan question, pointing out that the situation was "quite critical," particularly over arms sales.

"Well, I don't know why one needs to talk about recent US moves," US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said when asked to comment on the statement.

Boucher said there had been no change in US policy regarding China and Taiwan and vowed that defence sales to Taipei would continue as enshrined in US law.

"We continue the sale of appropriate defensive military equipment to Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act," he said.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said ongoing sales of US weapons to Taiwan had been in the pipeline for a "long time."

The delay was caused by funding discussions in the Taiwanese legislature, he said.

Taiwan's cabinet on June 2 approved a special budget of 610 billion Taiwan dollars (18.2 billion US) for the purchase of advanced weaponry. A team from Taipei was reportedly in the United States recently to shop for arms.

The United States remains the leading arms supplier to Taiwan despite its shift of diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.

Under a 25-year-old US law, the United States acknowledges Beijing's position that Taiwan is part of China but is bound by law to provide weapons to help Taiwan defend itself if its security is threatened.

China has repeatedly threatened to invade Taiwan should the island declare formal independence. The two sides split in 1949 at the end of a civil war but Beijing regards the island as part of its territory.

Cross-strait tension has been escalating since pro-independence Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian took office in 2000, and since his re-election in March this year.

- AFP

catching the US intel community off guard :bounce:

Chinese produce new type of sub

China's naval buildup has produced a new type of attack submarine that U.S. intelligence did not know was under construction, according to U.S. defense and intelligence officials.

The submarine was spotted several weeks ago for the first time and has been designated by the Pentagon as the first Yuan-class of submarine.

A photograph of the completed submarine in the water at China's Wuhan shipyard was posted on a Chinese Internet site this week and confirmed by a defense official as the new submarine. Wuhan is located inland, some 420 miles west of Shanghai.

One official said the new submarine was a "technical surprise" to U.S. intelligence, which was unaware that Beijing was building a new non-nuclear powered attack submarine. U.S. intelligence agencies have few details about the new submarine but believe it is diesel-powered rather than nuclear-powered, said officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The new boat, which appears to be a combination of indigenous Chinese hardware and Russian weapons, suggests that China is building up its submarine forces in preparation for a conflict over Taiwan, defense analysts say.

"China has decided submarines are its first-line warships now, their best shot at beating carriers," said Sid Trevethan, an Alaska-based specialist on the Chinese military. "And China is right."

"One has to marvel at the enormity of the investment by the People's Liberation Army in submarines," said Richard Fisher, a specialist on the Chinese military.

China also is building two nuclear-powered submarines — one Type 093, believed to be based on the Russian Victor-III class and armed with intercontinental ballistic missiles, and a Type 094 attack submarine, which the Pentagon believes has a finished hull and will be ready for deployment next year.

According to Mr. Trevethan, China currently has a force of 57 deployed submarines, including one Xia-class nuclear ballistic missile submarine, five Han submarines, four Kilos, seven Songs, 18 Mings and 22 Soviet-designed Romeos. Beijing also has eight more Kilos on order with Russia.

Disclosure of the new submarine comes as the United States is trying to sell eight diesel submarines to Taiwan, which Beijing views as a breakaway province. Taiwan currently has just two World War II-era Guppy-class submarines and two 1980s Dutch submarines.

Mr. Fisher, an analyst with the International Assessment and Strategy Center, said that despite the imbalance of power on the Taiwan Strait in favor of Beijing, the Bush administration has been slow to sell the submarines it offered Taiwan in April 2001.

"It is simply appalling that the United States cannot get its act together to organize the production of eight new submarines for Taiwan," Mr. Fisher said.

U.S. defense officials have said delays with the Taiwan submarine deal are the result of the Taipei government's budget problems.

Chinese leaders told National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice last week that China would "not sit idly by" as Taiwan moved toward formal independence, and President Hu Jintao denounced U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan.

But Miss Rice said the United States will go ahead with its Taiwan arms sales plan because of China's missile buildup opposite the island.

A Pentagon report made public in May stated that China is changing its warship forces from a coastal defense force to one employing "active offshore defense."

"This change in operations requires newer, more modern warships and submarines capable of operating at greater distances from China's coast for longer periods," the report said, noting that submarine construction is a top priority.

Mr. Fisher said the Chinese submarine buildup should prompt the Pentagon to step up U.S. anti-submarine warfare capabilities, which he said are "at an historic low" because of cutbacks in specialized ships and aircraft.

The Navy should consider building its own diesel attack submarine to be able to "effectively duke it out with the new tidal wave of Chinese subs, that if left unchecked, may soon dominate the Asian littoral regions," Mr. Fisher said.

The Pentagon is also building up U.S. naval forces in the Pacific, with the addition of up to six attack submarines in Guam and the possible deployment of an aircraft carrier battle group to Hawaii in the coming months.

Link

The US, having gone the way of nuclear subs is hard pressed at constructing diesel subs. :bounce: If they really want to give Taiwan 8 diesel boats the soonest possible time, Its better to buy diesel boats from European builders and hand them to Taiwan. :D

The US has been in discussions with Spain about a co-op license build. The Danes, Germans and Swedes have all said no for fear of risking trade with China. There was intermittent drivel about the US buying into the Australian sub building facility - but that also would place Oil, Wool and Gas sales at risk (approx $50bn), $3bn in sub sales just doesn't balance out on $50bn trade.

There has been some talk about trying to establish a dissimilar sub warfare area (poss the Australian Sub warfare Zone where perisher trg is conducted). But IMHO there is more chance of Bhutan becoming a world superpower in the next 18 months.

doesn't look any different to me

there's some some talk that the chicoms were just playing photoshop games on the yanks :bounce:

Who knows our own PMC grunts will come barrel-to-barrel with this Chinese weapon someday...



Data for QBZ-95 (QBZ-97 in ( )

Caliber: 5.8x42 mm (5.56x45 mm NATO)
Action: Gas operated, rotating bolt
Overall length: 760 mm
Barrel length: 520 mm
Weigth: 3.4 kg unloaded
Magazine capacity: 30 rds


The QBZ-95 assault rifles were shown for the first time when PR China took over the Hong Kong in 1997. The PLA soldiers were armed with this bullpup assault rifle. It is chambered for new proprietary Chinese cartridge, 5.8x42mm, and QBZ-97 (export version) is chambered for standard 5.56mm NATO (.223 Rem). The QBZ acronym stands for 'Qing Buqiang Zu' or light rifle family.

Not much is known about this rifle. It is available in full-size or short (carbine) version, and may be equipped with telescopic or night sights, underbarrel grenade launcher and bayonet. The ejection port is located at the right side of the receiver so (probably) this rifle is not ambidextrous. The body (stock) of the rifle is made from polymer, as well as magazines.

NORINCO 5.8 mm QBZ Type 95 assault rifle Development

During the handover of Hong Kong to the People's Republic
of China in 1997, it was noted that at least some of the
troops involved in the ceremonies were equipped with a
model of bullpup rifle not previously seen. Few details
were available regarding this rifle, which forms part of
what has been described as the Type 95 QBZ (QBZ - Qing
Buqiang Zu - light rifle family). It utilises a new 5.8 ×
42 mm cartridge. Apparently the QBZ family is not intended
for export as a more market-acceptable model, the 5.56 mm
Automatic Rifle Type 97, has been developed for this
purpose (see separate entry).

Description

The receiver of the 5.8 mm QBZ bullpup rifle is shrouded in
a moulded polymer butt-stock, with the fore-end and pistol
grip made from the same dark-coloured material. The cocking
lever is protected under a carrying handle which also
contains the rearsight; the foresight is on a post
protected by a small cylinder. A three-position fire
selector and safety switch is on the right-hand side of the
body just above the pistol grip, although this switch is
not present on some examples.

The front trigger guard is much larger than usual as it provides the rear location point for an optional underslung spin-stabilised grenade launcher; it also provides a convenient location for the non-firing hand. The grenade launcher appears to have a calibre of 40 mm and is of the M203 pattern. A flash eliminator attachment on the muzzle can be used to launch rifle grenades.
The top of the carrying handle can also be used to mount optical or night sights.

Variants

A light support weapon version of this rifle is also in
service. It has a longer and heavier barrel, a light bipod
and a drum magazine, probably holding 75 rounds. There is
no provision on the light support weapon for a grenade
launcher. See entry under Machine guns for an illustration.

Reports have also been made regarding a short carbine-pattern variant, described as a sub-machine gun but retaining the 5.8 mm cartridge. There is no provision for mounting a grenade launcher.
There is also a Type 88 selective fire sniper rifle variant. The latter has a longer barrel, making the weapon about 920 mm overall, an optical sight together with folding iron sights and an adjustable height bipod. A 10-round box magazine appears to be standard. As the optical sight is secured to a rail over the receiver the cocking lever is switched to the right-hand side of the receiver. Weight of this variant is understood to be 4.2 kg. There is no provision for mounting a grenade launcher.

5.8mm maybe do not offer much difference in balistics from 5.56mm

5.8 or 5.56 dont matter , if you're hit in the right place, youre dead
:gatling:

true.. but if you didn't hit your enemy in the right place the first time.. he gets that half-second to shoot you back.. and it may not be your lucky day.. ;) thats the beauty of having heavier bullets.. the impact alone wll send you head over.. and even if your not seriously injured, the wound and damage is bigger and you'll bleed to death that much quicker..

Photos taken while returning from sea trials. Note the VLS array

Interesting opposed angle - probably a cold launch system for the HQ-9(?).

China is getting more powerful every minute... :rifle:

China tests ballistic missile submarine


By Bill Gertz
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

China's military has launched the first of a new class of ballistic missile submarines in what defense officials view as a major step forward in Beijing's strategic weapons program.

The new 094-class submarine was launched in late July and when fully operational in the next year or two will be the first submarine to carry the underwater-launched version of China's new DF-31 missile, according to defense officials.

"When fully operational, it will represent a more modern, more capable missile platform," said one official familiar with reports of the new submarine.

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20041202-115302-2338r.htm

.... and we are doing nothing much about it! :dunno:

I can see that another scenario wherein we will bow down again to a foreign aggressor because we cannot rely on our AFP to protect our own interest on what is at stake.

We must not forget what the Chinese did to the Spratly's. :exactly:

The next conflict may not involve territorial disputes but matters that may involve critical economic and political considerations.

:armycry:

Below is a pretty clear Chinese Type 99 picture that shows new
details. The Type 99 is the second generation of a tank originally called the Type 96 then Type 98. This particular model was once called the Type 98I. It is a very advanced vehicle with excellent protection, 125mm gun and an electro-optical device that is capable of both retro-reflection target acquisition and directed energy (laser) dazzling that can cause damage to optics. these are in serial production.Rate is unknown but rumored to be several hundred per year.

Interesting that the track is all steel on the outside. Cannot tell if
track backing to the roadwheels is rubber or steel. Looks like they've
added both reactive armor to front slope of hull and turret but also looks like there is some type of other armor (ceramic?) where the red star is located. The base passive armor packs on the turret are removable and almost 1 meter deep. The gap between turret and hull has also been reduced.The EO device appears to have changed slightly and its mount is heavier. Still wondering what the boxes contain on the side of the turret where 301 is painted. Interesting little round devices located on the sponsons just behind the front fenders (possibly marker lights or driving cameras).

Its interesting to see the Chinese working to improve their MBTs, while the US is focusing on smaller, more mobile, but more vulnerable vehicles.

What could a Stryker unit do against a "platoon" (or whatever term) of Chinese T-99s.

a very worrying development , our military strategists should take this seriously:

http://www.mosnews.com/money/2005/01/13/chinabombers.shtml

The chief of the Russian Air Force, Vladimir Mikhailov, said on Thursday, Jan. 13, that the Russian military could sell a number of Tu-22M3 and Tu-95 bomber aircraft to China.

Speaking at a press conference at the Interfax-Army News agency Mikhailov said: “We could sell to China a part of our stock of Tu-22M3 and Tu-95 strategic bombers.”

Answering a question whether there are any specific plans for such a sale, the Air Force chief said: “We will show the planes at the joint military exercise, so that the Chinese become interested. If they have the money, let them buy [the bombers].”

As MosNews reported in December, Russia and China announced their intention to hold joint military exercises on Chinese territory sometime in 2005. The announcement was made during the official visit of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov to Beijing. The visit came in the wake of the European Union’s decision not to lift the 15-year-old arms export embargo that was imposed on China in 1989.
The EU’s decision presented a clear opportunity for Russia to solidify its position as China’s biggest supplier of weapons and technology.

It looks like another silent war between the two superpowers have started, with China being groomed by the Russian Federation to do what the latter has failed to accomplish during the Cold War era.

Now the US has really something serious to think about how they can deal with this one.

With the collaboration between what seems to be Russia's effort to regain its significance during the Cold War and China's ultimate goal of dominating the East Asian region, the US is now faced with a much more complicated problem.

What are the capabilities of the bombers? Can these bombers reach the whole of the Philippines if in case of future conflict?

Tupolev Tu-22M 'Backfire'

Role: Medium Bomber
Builder: Tupolev
Variants: Tu-22M0 (Backfire-A), Tu-22M1 (Backfire-A), Tu-22M2 (Backfire-B), Tu-22M3 (Backfire-C), Tu-22MR, Tu-22MP
Operators: Russia, Ukraine

The Tupolev Tu-22M (NATO 'Backfire') is a supersonic medium bomber which was designed to replace the subsonic Tu-16 and the troublesome Tu-22 missile carriers. Although its designation may suggest that the 'Tu-22M' Backfire is basically a modified Tu-22 'Blinder' it is a completely different and new design with only a few small Tu-22 features maintained. The Tu-22M design features a variable geometry wing which is also found on contemporary tactical fighters and the American B-1B bomber. The two turbofan afterburning engines are unlike almost every other bomber located in its fuselage body, with large shoulder mounted intakes, resembling the configuration of tactical fighters as the Su-24 and Tornado.

The aircraft can be equipped with up to three Kh-22 air-to-surface missiles, with one under each wing and a third under its belly, semi-recessed into the bomb bay. The second ASM option is the Kh-15 (NATO AS-16 'Kickback') on a six-round launcher carried in the bomb bay. Up to four external bomb racks can be equipped, each rack capable of carrying nine conventional 250kg general purpose bombs. Also the 500, 1500 and 3000 kg conventional bombs can be equipped. The Tu-22M is equipped with a Leninets PN-A attack radar in the nose and a OPB-15T television sight for optical bomb aiming located below the fuselage just in front of the nose gear.

The Tu-22M has a crew of four: commander (left front), co-pilot (right front), communications officer (left rear) and navigator (right rear). All crew is sitting on KT-1 ejection seats which fire up, a much improvement after the downward firing seats in the Tu-22 Blinder. The rear crew have no forward visibility, but have a large side window each.

The first production variant was the Tu-22M2. The variant was capable of being refuelled in flight. However after the SALT treaty the probe was removed, remaining the probe housing. Later the probe housing was also removed, but the aircraft keeps the bulge-like shape of the nose.

The latest version, the Tu-22M3 or 'Backfire-C', has two NK-25 engines replacing the original NK-22s. The new engines coupled with redesigned engine intakes boosted performance. Also the maximum wing sweep was increased back to 65 degrees. The Tu-22M3 is capable of Mach 1 at low level and has a max speed of Mach 2.05. The Tu-22M3 was also armed with a new weapon, the Raduga Kh-15 which was better suited against enemy air defenses than the obsolete Kh-22. Probably because of the large available inventory of Kh-22 missile, the Kh-22 was improved (Kh-22M and Kh-22MA) and remained in service on the Tu-22M.

Although satellites took over the role of the Tu-22R for the larger part, a small number of Tu-22M3s were modified for the recconnaissance role. The designation for this variant is Tu-22M3® or Tu-22MR. The variant has a large sensor package (equivalent to that of the Tu-22RDM) built into the bomb bay.

The ECM package of the Tu-22M2 and despite improvements the Tu-22M3 was not considered adequate and an escort jamming aircraft was needed. The old Tu-16P was too slow for the job and two alternatives were considered. One being the Tu-22MP, a Tu-22M3 fitted with the Miass electronic warfare system. Three prototypes were built by 1992 but the type did not enter service. The other option was the Il-76PP, a converted Il-76 transport. It was equipped with the Dandish system which could not be equipped to the Tu-22M3 because it required too much power. One prototype was tested, but none were produced.

No Tu-22M Backfires were exported, altough China and Iran showed serious interest in the 1990s. Lately there have been reports that the Tu-22M3 is offered to India for the maritime attack role, probably armed with the conventional anti-ship Kh-15A (export designation Kh-15S) missile. Russia remains the biggest operator of the type, which will probably remain in service for the foreseeable future because a replacement (T-60S program) will prove too expensive. In 1997 a study for the upgrade of the Tu-22M3 was started under the name of project 245 or Tu-245. Ukraine is the only other operator, it inherited a large number of Tu-22M3 from the Soviet Union. Some of these remain in service as 'strategic deterrence'.

http://www.milavia.net/aircraft/tu-22m/tu-22m.htm

Info about the Tu-95 Bear:

http://www.globalaircraft.org/planes/tu-95_bear.pl

Both bomber aircraft could easily reach the Philippines.

Damn whats got into those vodka-addled Russian minds if they continue with this sale :armyeek:

We cannot blame Russia for doing that.

It really has to do something to keep their economy afloat. If they dont, the already divided Russian land may again be facing more of its states to seek independence to find a much better hope for its people.

For Russia to keep what remains of the union of its seemingly wobbly states, it must secure a much better economy for its people.

Actually, if we are to consider their side, there's nothing wrong in what they do for their own country and people.

Russia needs to sell goods just to support its requirements.

The world, hungry for high-tech and reliable military weaponries, is drooling for what the stilll-renowned superpower can offer.

That's about it.

For us not to be left out ..AND BE BULLIED AGAIN....WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.

In fact, as i see it, for us to keep the US maintaining its interest on what we can do for them.....

... WE NEED TO SHOW THEM THAT .... WE TOO... CAN KICK SOME ASS !!!

This could also be a bluff for Russia to secure concessions from Europe and the USA - both economic and military deals.

It could also be.

But the conjecture that Russia is trying to find ways to earn more to feed its citizens is more apparent though.

Nonetheless, seeing Russia tapping this great potential of exporting weapons is good for the Russian people actually.

A much more stable economy will probably present a more tranquil and solid Russian federation.

NEVERTHELESS, RUSSIA MUST NEVER EXPORT NUCLEAR WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY AT ANY COST.

:exactly:

Its not as much as the lack of hard cashthat is pushing Russia to sell strategic weapon platforms but the desire to prove to the world that it is still a major arms superpower .The country is not exactly poor, having lately refilled its forex reserves with oil dollars.

China builds up strategic sea lanes
China is building up military forces and setting up bases along sea lanes from the Middle East to project its power overseas and protect its oil shipments, according to a previously undisclosed internal report prepared for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.
"China is building strategic relationships along the sea lanes from the Middle East to the South China Sea in ways that suggest defensive and offensive positioning to protect China's energy interests, but also to serve broad security objectives," said the report sponsored by the director, Net Assessment, who heads Mr. Rumsfeld's office on future-oriented strategies.

Beijing already has set up electronic eavesdropping posts at Gwadar in the country's southwest corner, the part nearest the Persian Gulf. The post is monitoring ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea, the report said.
Other "pearls" in the sea-lane strategy include:
• Bangladesh: China is strengthening its ties to the government and building a container port facility at Chittagong. The Chinese are "seeking much more extensive naval and commercial access" in Bangladesh.
• Burma: China has developed close ties to the military regime in Rangoon and turned a nation wary of China into a "satellite" of Beijing close to the Strait of Malacca, through which 80 percent of China's imported oil passes.
China is building naval bases in Burma and has electronic intelligence gathering facilities on islands in the Bay of Bengal and near the Strait of Malacca. Beijing also supplied Burma with "billions of dollars in military assistance to support a de facto military alliance," the report said.
•Cambodia: China signed a military agreement in November 2003 to provide training and equipment. Cambodia is helping Beijing build a railway line from southern China to the sea.
•South China Sea: Chinese activities in the region are less about territorial claims than "protecting or denying the transit of tankers through the South China Sea," the report said.
China also is building up its military forces in the region to be able to "project air and sea power" from the mainland and Hainan Island. China recently upgraded a military airstrip on Woody Island and increased its presence through oil drilling platforms and ocean survey ships.
•Thailand: China is considering funding construction of a $20 billion canal across the Kra Isthmus that would allow ships to bypass the Strait of Malacca. The canal project would give China port facilities, warehouses and other infrastructure in Thailand aimed at enhancing Chinese influence in the region, the report said.
The report reflects growing fears in the Pentagon about China's long-term development. Many Pentagon analysts believe China's military buildup is taking place faster than earlier estimates, and that China will use its power to project force and undermine U.S. and regional security.
The U.S. military's Southern Command produced a similar classified report in the late 1990s that warned that China was seeking to use commercial port facilities around the world to control strategic "chokepoints."
A Chinese company with close ties to Beijing's communist rulers holds long-term leases on port facilities at either end of the Panama Canal.
The Pentagon report said China, by militarily controlling oil shipping sea lanes, could threaten ships, "thereby creating a climate of uncertainty about the safety of all ships on the high seas."
The report noted that the vast amount of oil shipments through the sea lanes, along with growing piracy and maritime terrorism, prompted China, as well as India, to build up naval power at "chokepoints" along the sea routes from the Persian Gulf to the South China Sea.
"China ... is looking not only to build a blue-water navy to control the sea lanes, but also to develop undersea mines and missile capabilities to deter the potential disruption of its energy supplies from potential threats, including the U.S. Navy, especially in the case of a conflict with Taiwan," the report said.
Chinese weapons for sea-lane control include new warships equipped with long-range cruise missiles, submarines and undersea mines, the report said. China also is buying aircraft and long-range target acquisition systems, including optical satellites and maritime unmanned aerial vehicles.
The focus on the naval buildup is a departure from China's past focus on ground forces, the report said.
"The Iraq war, in particular, revived concerns over the impact of a disturbance in Middle Eastern supplies or a U.S. naval blockade," the report said, noting that Chinese military leaders want an ocean-going navy and "undersea retaliatory capability to protect the sea lanes."
China believes the U.S. military will disrupt China's energy imports in any conflict over Taiwan, and sees the United States as an unpredictable country that violates others' sovereignty and wants to "encircle" China, the report said.
Beijing's leaders see access to oil and gas resources as vital to economic growth and fear that stalled economic growth could cause instability and ultimately the collapse of their nation of 1.3 billion people.
Energy demand, particularly for oil, will increase sharply in the next 20 years — from 75 million barrels per day last year to 120 million barrels in 2025 — with Asia consuming 80 percent of the added 45 million barrels, the report said.
Eighty percent of China's oil currently passes through the Strait of Malacca, and the report states that China believes the sea area is "controlled by the U.S. Navy."
Chinese President Hu Jintao recently stated that China faces a "Malacca Dilemma" — the vulnerability of its oil supply lines from the Middle East and Africa to disruption.
Oil-tanker traffic through the Strait, which is closest to Indonesia, is projected to grow from 10 million barrels a day in 2002 to 20 million barrels a day in 2020, the report said.
Chinese specialists interviewed for the report said the United States has the military capability to cut off Chinese oil imports and could "severely cripple" China by blocking its energy supplies.


http://www.washtimes.com/national/20050117-115550-1929r.htm

I can see that as well.

Nonetheless, there is nothing wrong with that still.

Even China desires to prove to the world that it indeed needs to show off it's credibility as Asia's dominating dragon.

All nations must compel Russia to totally disallow exporting "nuclear weapons technology" and even the "long-range ballistic missile guidance technology" particularly to China, Nokor, the Middle Eastern countries and the others who may opt to get that leverage.

It is not wrong for Russia to gain that level of stability and self-confidence, being a big country and being one of the only two former major players in the Cold War.

It must not forget though, being a superpower, that it also has the responsibility of preserving world peace.

Now, that bolstered other reports telling that China really wanted to dislodge the US as the dominant power in this region.

It could have been good for us but we too have a dispute with Red China over who owns the Spratly's.

China even stole the Panganiban reef from us.

That is what's keeping us from siding with China.

That's unfortunate for China.

Best for China to do?

Leave Panganiban reef first before giving any form of assistance. :exactly:

"know thy enemy"

PLA snipers



and CDF, i think you will be interested in this pic of a PLA special force sniper, pretty unusual weapons dont you think?

DDGs Total 29 ships

2X Project 056E Sovremenny II Class DDG (to be commissioned), 8000-10000 tons
2X Porject 052C Ageis airdefence DDG (to be commissionsed), 6000-8000 tons
2X Project 052B DDG (to be commissioned), 6000-8000 tons
2X Project 956 Sovremenny Class DDG, 8000 tons
1X Project 051B Luhai Class DDG, 6000 tons
2X Project 052 Luhu Class DDG, 4200 tons
6X Project 051G Luda III/V (refited) Class DDG, 3500 tons
12X Project 051 Luda I/II Class DDG, 3200 tons

FFGs Total 48 ships

4X Project 054 FFG (to be commissioned), 3500 tons
8X Project 053H3 Jiangwei II Class FFG, 2300 tons
4X Project 053H2G Jiangwei Class FFG, 2200 tons
6X Project 053H1G Jianghu V Class FFG, 1600 tons
3X Project 053H2 Jianghu III Class FFG, 2000 tons
23X Project 053H/H1/HT-H Jianghu I/II/IV Class FFG, 1400 tons

SSN/SSBNs At lesat 8 ships

1X Project 094 SSBN (to be commissioned)
1X Project 093 SSN (to be commissioned)
1-3?X Project 092 Xia Class SSBN, 6500 tons dived
5X Project Han Class SSN, 5500 tons dived

SSKs At least 67 ships

8X Project 636 Improved Kilo Class SSK (to be commisssioned)
4X Project 877EKM Kilo Class SSK, 3000 tons dived
5X Project 039 Song Class SSK, 2200 tons dived
19X Project 035 Ming Class SSK, 2100 tons dived
23/8(reserve)X Project 033 Remeo Class SSK, 1800 tons dived

Landing Crafts Around 400 ships

3+X Project 072 III Large LST, (to be commissioned)
6X Project 072 II Yuting Class Large LST, 3480 tons
7X Project 072 Yukan Class Large LST, 3100 tons
300+X Project 271 Utility LST
10X Project 068/069 Yuqing class Utility LST, 60 tons
40X Project 067 Yunan Class Utility LST, 130 tons
30X Type 724 Air Cushion Landing Craft, 6.35 tons
1X Type 722-II Air Cushion Landing Craft 78 tons


Littoral Ships Around around 340 ships

5X Houjian Class (Type 520T) Missile Attack Boat, 520 tons
14X Houxin Class (Type 037-II) Missile Attack Boat, 478 tons
60X Huangfeng Class (Type 021) Missile Attack Boat, 205 tons
Small number in reserve service X Houku Class Missile Attack Boat, 69 tons
17X Haiqing Class (Type 037-I/ID) Subchaser, 478 tons
90X Hainan Class (Type 037) Subchaser, 430 tons
110X Shanghai-II Class (Type 062) Gun Patrol Boat, 134.8 tons
Small number in training service X Huchuan Class Torpedo Boat, 46 tons
1X Wolei Class (Type 918) Minelayer, 2,300 tons
40X T-43 Fleet Minesweeper, 590 tons
1X Wosao Class (Type 082) Coastal Minesweeper, 320 tons

AirCrafts (too hard to keep trace of numbers, just gonna list the planes)

JH-7/FBC-1 JH-7 Fighter-Bomber
H-6D Anti-Ship Missile Bomber
SU-30MKK2
H-6DU AA Tankers
J-8II(many varients)
J-7(many varients)
Q-5
Z-9C Ship Born Anti-Sub Chopper
Ka-28/32 Ship Born Anti-Sub Chopper
SA 321Ja 'Super Frelon' / Z-8 Naval Helicopter

052C PLAB stealth frigate

China illegally converting Boeing 737 into surveillance aircraft :armyeek:

more

that dude is aiming a crossbow (long range?) with a suppressed assault rifle slung on his back...

whats the effective range of military crossbows, anyone here knows?

French Defense Minister: Lift China Arms Ban

French Defense Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie said lifting an international arms embargo against China was justified because the context had changed and an increasing number of countries support an end to the sanction.

Speaking before the European-American Press association here Feb. 3, Alliot-Marie said the partial embargo — the ban applied only to “lethal weapons” — was imposed some 15 years ago in a “highly specific context” and that the diplomatic and economic context has changed, including relations between China and the United States.

China has made every effort to integrate itself in the world community and the embargo sends the wrong political signal to Beijing, she said. Moreover, an embargo was not necessarily the most effective means of control arms sales, she said. France had the strictest system weapons export control, and each purchase was vetted in its regional context, she said.

Latest available official figures showed France is the third-largest arms exporter, behind Britain and the United States, with average annual sales of 5 billion euros ($6 billion).

An increasing number of countries support ending the embargo, Alliot-Marie said.

The European Union imposed the sanction in 1989 after the Tiananmen Square massacre, in which government forces gunned down pro-democracy protestors.

The United States and Japan oppose ending the embargo, fearing it would exacerbate regional tension, and human rights groups say Beijing’s record does not justify lifting the arm sales ban.

On the subject of nuclear proliferation, France was extremely concerned about Iran’s development of nuclear weapons, and Paris would use its political leverage in energy matters and development aid to ensure inspections were carried out, Alliot-Marie said.

“The big problem is one of trust,” she said, adding that Tehran did not trust European governments to keep their commitments it opened up to inspection.

Shifting to European industry, Alliot-Marie also said she expected a restructuring in naval shipbuilding would take three years to complete, with the first steps having been taken through national consolidation in Germany and Spain.

A merger of Thales’ naval business with that of state-owned DCN was a step in the consolidation process, to confront competition from Southeast Asian yards, she said.

A similar restructuring in the land systems sector could take five years, for which the French government is backing state-owned GIAT Industries, she said.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=635417&C=europe

CIA: China buildup tilting balance CIA: China buildup tilting balance
Thursday, February 17, 2005 Posted: 12:39 AM EST (0539 GMT)



CIA Director Porter Goss said Chinese capabilities threaten U.S. forces in the Taiwan Strait region.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- China's military buildup is tilting the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait, CIA Director Porter Goss said in an ominous new assessment of the Asian giant's rising power.

U.S. officials have been warning about China's aggressive military buildup for some time.

But the latest assessment suggests the threat may be growing and plays down more positive aspects of Beijing's growing international role, which were highlighted in last year's annual CIA report to the U.S. Congress.

"Beijing's military modernization and military buildup is tilting the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait," Goss told the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on Wednesday.

"Chinese capabilities threaten U.S. forces in the region," he said.

He noted Beijing views Taiwan's moves toward constitutional reform as creating a "timeline for independence."

"If Beijing decides that Taiwan is taking steps toward permanent separation that exceed Beijing's tolerance, we believe China is prepared to respond with various levels of force," Goss added.

The CIA report reflects growing concern in the Bush administration and among U.S. experts about a possible clash between China and self-governing Taiwan that could enmesh the United States.

Although the two states do not have formal diplomatic relations, the Taiwan Relations Acts binds the United States to help Taiwan defend itself, including through arms sales.

China views Taiwan, with its increasingly pro-independence tendencies, as a renegade province that must be united with the mainland, by force if necessary.

When Assistant Defense Secretary Richard Lawless was in Beijing for military talks earlier this month, he repeated the U.S. view that China is "complicit in creating or escalating tensions" with Taiwan, according to a senior official familiar with the discussions.

In his report to Congress in 2004, former CIA Director George Tenet stressed "our greatest concern remains China's military buildup, which continues to accelerate."

But he also emphasized Beijing "has cooperated with Washington on some key strategic issues," including cooperating in the U.S.-led war on terrorism and hosting six-party talks aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons.

These points were not part of Goss' official presentation to the Senate panel.

In its annual report on Chinese military capabilities in May, the Pentagon said Beijing expanded its aggressive military buildup with more sophisticated missiles, satellite-disrupting lasers, underground facilities and hundreds of missiles aimed at Taiwan, all aimed at exerting power and winning a possible conflict with the self-governing island.

Last week, a senior Pentagon official told reporters China's buildup "continues apace" and there is "continuing substantial increase in capabilities, particularly ... to improve their ability to either coerce or attack Taiwan."

U.S. defense officials have long pressed Taipei to increase defense spending so it can better defend itself in case of a military challenge by China. But Taiwan political squabbles have delayed a decision.

U.S. intelligence officials also warned Wednesday that the threat of al Qaeda or other terrorist groups attacking the United States was still likely -- probably in the form of a car bomb or other low-tech weapon.

"It may be only a matter of time before al Qaeda or other groups attempt to use chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons. We must focus on that," CIA Director Porter Goss told the Senate Intelligence Committee.
www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/02/17/goss.china.reut/index.html

Bush To Seek EU Support Against China's Rising Military Might: Analysts

US President George W. Bush is expected to use his visit to Europe this week to seek more support in his administration's bid to keep China's growing military might in check, analysts said.

Bush departed for Europe on Sunday, a day after the United States and Japan declared Taiwan was a common security issue amid the concerns about China's threat to invade the island if it declares independence.

Washington and Tokyo also urged China "to improve transparency of its military affairs" in a joint statement Saturday amid concerns an EU plan to lift an arms embargo against Beijing could upset the region's military balance.

more...

Honestly, Why ban europeans from selling to China, they will acquire it anyways by hook or by crook. I prefer this approach as it allows the US to review the regional defense capability balance sheet. We get better hardware by virtue of better FMA deals.

Just imagine, the US have no choice but to allow us to have A-6 Intruders for maritime strike capability or that Cobra we have been dreaming about or maybe the maritime patrol assets we have been yearning :thumb:

Not a bad idea.

But Fish, are you sure our military will be strong enough to engage our bullying neighbor after the Europeans will have strengthened their capability by selling deadlier weaponries?

The US may give make us a little stronger.

But what if the Europeans make the Chinese military become twice as powerful?

Theirs would still be better than ours?

Nonetheless, the US will definitely handle conflicts beyond our territory.

The added military assets will serve our COIN campaign much.

:thumb: :thumb:

What do you think about that?